


Illuminated

by samakiwi



Series: Absolute Balance [2]
Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Engagement, Fluff, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Nervousness, Wedding Rings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-07
Updated: 2014-07-07
Packaged: 2018-02-07 22:08:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1915644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/samakiwi/pseuds/samakiwi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Among all the confusion and happiness in his head, Ian doesn’t answer right away. Mickey figures he should prompt Ian to answer.</p>
<p>“So is that abnormally girly reaction to my proposal a yes?” Mickey laughs.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Illuminated

**Author's Note:**

> This is basically a prequel to everything else in the daddy!gallavich fics :)
> 
> Enjoy!

“Mandy, fucking stop it! I wanted you to come with me because I knew you were going to ask anyway, I don’t want your fucking opinion on every single thing in this store.”

Mickey paces along a long case filled with engagement rings. He and Mandy had made their way to a shitty pawn shop (that’s all Mickey can afford) and Mandy has been nagging him since they got into the store. He’s getting sick of her shit, and just wants to get the ring for Ian and get out of there.

“But it needs to be perfect! You need to get the biggest one that you can afford! And I know Ian’s tastes better than you, I was his fake girlfriend for a long time, remember? I’ll show you which one he’d like.” She scrapes past Mickey in the crowded aisle and stands in front of the diamond rings.

“He won’t want a fucking diamond ring, fuckface. Besides, do you honestly think I can afford those? I’m gonna get him something that he’ll actually wear in public.” Mickey says as soon as he sees what she’s looking at.

“No, dumbass, not the ones in the front, the ones in the back. They have dark gems, like the amethyst one! With the darker band. I think he’d like that one.” She says grabbing at her brother’s arm excitedly.

“Actually, that one ain’t half bad,” he says, leaning to look closer. “Nice spotting, sis.”

“Isn’t. That one ‘isn’t’ half bad,” Mandy laughs at herself. “And I told you I knew what I was doing.”

“Okay, fucking grammar police. I didn’t doubt your majestic fucking ring-finding detective skills, oh powerful sister,” he says and laughs, too, and shoves her out of his way as he heads towards the main counter.

“Hey man, can I get one of those rings?” Mickey asks the rough-looking man behind the counter, pointing toward the case of rings over his shoulder.

“Yeah, sure. Who’s the lucky lady? You two getting hitched?” the man asks, looking from Mickey to Mandy.

“Ha, no, this bitch here is my little sister,” Mickey says, grabbing Mandy and pulling her under his arm. He ruffles her hair a little and releases her, mostly because he doesn’t want her attacking him in a pawn shop.

“So who’s the lady then?” the man asks in a nonchalant tone, genuinely curious.

“The ‘lady’,” Mickey starts, speaking in an extremely defensive way. “Is a man. And his name is Ian.”

“Oh, cool. Super cool,” the man says genuinely. “So which ring will it be? I’m going to assume your man isn’t going to go for one of the expensive diamond ones. So one of the opal ones? Turquoise?”

Mickey relaxes a bit when the guy doesn’t start anything at the mention of two guys getting married, and for a second totally forgets what Mandy said the color of the ring was.

“The purple one,” he spits out.

“Oh, amethyst. Good choice,” the man says as he unlocks the case and reaches in to grab the ring. He put it in a box, fixes it up nicely, and brings it to the counter while Mickey and Mandy follow to pay. “I hope he likes it. It’s a size 12 but we have ametuer resizers that work here so if you need it to be bigger or smaller you can go ahead and bring it in. And be careful with it, it’s real amethyst. That’ll be 400$. I’m giving you a discount because my brother is gay and he owns half this store so he’d be mad if I didn’t, but also because I like you two. I’m not even going to tell you how much that stone on that band would cost if my pops had anything to say about it. Anyway I’ll stop talking and let you be on your way.”

The guy only stops talking after Mickey hands him the money and makes a face that obviously means he’s getting impatient.

“Thanks, man.” Mickey says as he makes his way out of the store, dragging Mandy (who had wanted to continue talking) out with him.

“No problem, and let me know if he says yes!”

Mickey and Mandy make it halfway down the block before Mickey speaks up again.

“That guy was really fucking chipper, wasn’t he?” He tries to grimace, but the smile on Mandy’s face makes it completely impossible.

“I’d say. He seemed a little too excited about you being gay and all. I think by ‘my brother’ he meant himself.” She says, bumping into Mickey as they walk.

“I wouldn’t doubt that at all. I'm pretty sure his beard is his beard,” he says, bumping into her as they both laugh.

They walk the rest of the way back to the Gallagher’s (where both of them were currently staying) in silent bliss. When they get back, Mandy tries with all her might to get Mickey to tell her how he’s going to ask Ian. Thankfully, Ian is at some sort of military drill something-or-other and couldn’t walk in on them and the rest of the Gallaghers are out and about, because she makes sure to be persistent and loud about asking him. She tickles him and pinches him but he won’t spill, so eventually she gives up and goes to sleep.

The funny thing is, Mickey doesn’t even know how he’s going to ask Ian. He just knows he wants to, but he doesn’t want to embarrass himself. Mickey has always been the closet-romantic and it still feels so corny to do anything remotely loving for Ian. As he falls asleep, he hopes that he literally dreams up a way to propose.

****  
  


\-------------

“So, did you want to do something tonight?”

Ian wanders around the kitchen looking in cupboards, which apparently don’t have what he’s looking for. He stops what he’s doing after a minute of no reply from Mickey.

“Hey, Mick! I asked you if you wanted to do something tonight,” Ian repeats. Mickey shakes himself out of whatever daydream he had just been having and looks at Ian from where he is sitting, not making any effort to help him.

“Uh, nah. I was thinking we could stay in since Fiona is taking Debbie, Carl, and Liam to some rated ‘R’ movie and Lip is going out with Mandy. Have the house to ourselves for once.” Mickey says, trying not to sound as excited about it as he really is.

“Sure. I think Carl has the terminator movies or some shit lying around that we can watch if you want.”

“Sounds good to me.” Mickey says, smiling contently as Ian finds what he was looking for and sits down to lunch.

\---------------

****  
  


In the evening nothing could stop Mickey from pacing around the living room but Mandy’s calm yet demanding voice.

“Hey, assface? Sit the fuck down until your boyfriend gets out of the shower, okay? Seriously calm down,” Mandy commands. It isn’t a suggestion, and anyone with eyes or ears could see that.

“I can’t fucking calm down Mandy! Do you know how big of a deal this is? I don’t even know if he’s going to say yes! What if he doesn’t take me seriously? I mean it’s only been like 3 years since it even became legal for us to get married,” Mickey continues pacing, opening and closing the box that Ian’s ring is in while he does so. He’s so nervous he’s shaking, and Mandy has never seen him so nervous for anything in her entire life.

Milkoviches don’t get nervous. They don’t get scared of anyone or anything except their dad, which doesn’t matter now that he’s dead. So they just don’t get nervous. But Mickey is practically convulsing he is shaking so much. Mandy makes her way around the couch so she is standing next to him, then pulls him onto the couch and sits in his lap.

“Listen, Mickey. I know I’m your little sister, but we’re going to pretend I’m your big sister right now because I have some words of wisdom for you. So don’t struggle to get me off of you,” she says as she wraps her arms around her big brother’s neck. “Ian will say yes. First of all because a Milkovich is asking him and he wouldn’t dare say no..”

Mickey glares at her, and she receives the message and continues her speech.

“But also because I’ve never seen two people love each other more than you two shitheads do. He’d never say no to you. I can tell by the way he looks at you that he’d throw away everything for you. And I swear to fucking god if you make him question throwing his life away for you I will kill you, I’m just saying that he would. And that’s coming from his best friend. So if he doesn’t say yes I will kill him.”

“First of all, get off me, bitch,” Mickey shoves her off of his lap and stands up, straightening out his shirt even though it’s just a t-shirt. “And second of all, thank you.”

“What was that, little brother?” Mandy smiles, shoving Mickey a little bit.

“You fucking heard me, you little shit,” Mickey says, hard-faced but holding back a smile with everything he had.

Lip trudges down the stairs at this point, and Mandy pulls Mickey in to kiss his cheek.

“You’ll do fine, you idiot. Just make sure it’s the right time,” she says, then grabs Lip’s hand and drags him out of the house. As she turns to close the door behind them, she yells “Good luck!”

“What was that all about? Why’d he look so nervous?” Lip asks, confused. Even he knows that Milkoviches don’t get nervous.

“Nothing, you’ll know later. I promise,” She grabs his hand and leads him away from the house, silently hoping that everything goes perfectly for Mickey. Even though her brother is a pain in the ass, she loves seeing him happy.

\--------------------

Ian hops out of the shower just as he hears the door close downstairs. He’d heard some of what had been said, but mostly he just knew Mandy was trying to give Mickey sisterly advice. By the time he gets out of the shower it’s too late to eavesdrop, but from what he has gathered throughout the day (and sort of the majority of the past week) there is some big secret between Mandy and Mickey that most likely concerns him since they always seem quieter than usual when he’s around.

He grabs the nearest towel and rubs his head with it before wrapping it around his waist. He gets dressed in just sweatpants because it’s summer and who needs underwear or a shirt? No one, he decides easily. Besides, Mickey is the only other one in the house and they’ll probably end the night with fucking anyway.

He saunters down the stairs just as Mickey is putting some action-packed adventure movie in the DVD player.

“Hey, I wasn’t sure if you actually wanted to watch Terminator or what, so I just stuck in the new one and figured if you didn’t want to watch it we could change it,” Mickey says. Ian notices Mickey’s body language is off, but shrugs it off because it’s not a significant difference in his eyes.

“Nah, Terminator is fine,” Ian confirms.

They settle onto the couch with two cheap beers that Mickey had grabbed from the fridge earlier. Ian relaxes into Mickey, draping his arm around him. Something definitely seems off about Mickey, but Ian can’t place what it is. He continues to ignore it for most of the movie, but about halfway through the big fight scene at the end Mickey seems to be almost squirming in his seat.

“Mick, what is the matter with you tonight? You seem so… off,” Ian inquires, curiosity finally giving in.

“It’s nothing,” Mickey replies.

“It’s not nothing, you’ve been fidgety and quiet around me all week. Did I do something wrong? Did you do something?” Ian is definitely worried now if he wasn’t before.

“No, no. Fuck, Ian. Why’d you have to ask?”

“Um?”

“You weren’t supposed to fucking ask,” Mickey says. _Now I’m going to lose my nerve._

“I wasn’t supposed to ask? What the fuck are you talking about?” Ian asks again, more forcefully. He isn’t exactly mad, just confused beyond belief. What the fuck is Mickey talking about? Lose his nerve to what? Ian moves away from Mickey slightly, leaving a significant gap between them on the couch.

“It’s nothing like that, Ian. Jesus christ. I didn’t cheat on you or anything,” Mickey delays even more.

“Then what the fuck are you talking about?” Now Ian was sort of mad. Mickey just needs to get to the point, and Ian is now completely facing him on the couch.

“I wanted to ask… Fuck!” Mickey gets off the couch and paces a little again. “I don’t know how the fuck people do this. Damn it, Ian!”

“Get to the fucking point, Mick.” Ian urges, sort of smiling because he thinks he gets it now. He totally understands why Mickey is having such trouble with spitting it out. Mickey drops to one knee and speaks the fastest Ian’s ever heard him speak.

“I want to know if you’ll marry me, Ian. Will you marry me?” Mickey practically chokes out, pulling out the ring box from the pocket of his shorts and opening it with surprisingly steady hands.  

Ian’s reaction is completely priceless. His hands move to his face so quickly it’s a wonder he didn’t punch himself out. He doesn’t mean it to seem girly and stereotypical, but he won’t deny he squeaks a bit. But he totally doesn’t mean to. It literally seems like a dream come true to him. Never in a million years did he think Mickey Milkovich would be the one to propose to him. It was a fucking miracle, if he did say so himself.

Among all the confusion and happiness in his head, Ian doesn’t answer right away. Mickey figures he should prompt Ian to answer.

“So is that abnormally girly reaction to my proposal a yes?” Mickey laughs.

“Of fucking course it is! Oh my god, Mick. Hell yes, I’ll marry you!” Ian smiles brightly, pretty much ripping the ring out of Mickey’s hands so he can put it on. “Damn, the ring is perfect, too. I love it so much. And I love you, Mick. God, I love you so much, Mickey Milkovich.”

Ian pulls Mickey back onto the couch and attacks him with kisses. Mickey pulls Ian closer to his body and returns the kisses. He loves Ian so much, too. And after asking Ian to marry him, he feels weird not having told Ian that he loves him before. He’d admitted it to Mandy, and had had to admit it when Lip threatened to have people beat the shit out of him if he ever found out that his brother was being used. But he’d never said it to Ian before, and he figures now is the perfect time considering they are both high from the thrill of being newly engaged.

Mickey pulls Ian even closer (which he didn’t realize was possible) and looks into Ian’s eyes.

“I love you, too, Ian Gallagher,” he whispers in the silent house. It all feels so weird to Mickey. He’s never said ‘I love you’ to anyone before. Not even Mandy. It feels… nice. Relaxing, even. Relief washes over him when he sees Ian’s reaction, which is pure unadulterated joy.

“What was that?” Ian asks, smiling wider than ever.

**“Milkoviches don’t repeat themselves,” Mickey says, but pulls Ian’s head gently so his lips are right next to Ian’s ear. “But this time is an exception. I love you, Ian Gallagher.”**

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it! <3


End file.
